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Halifax Oath - current passport not present

m_alagha

Newbie
Feb 10, 2015
5
0
Guys,
I was originaly scheduled for my citizenship ceremony on January 27, 2015. Lucky me it was a storm day and CIC called me and left a message saying they have rescheduled till Feb. 17, they said they will send a new notice but I have recieved nothing as of this moment, I called them and they said that is ok you can come without the notice and your name will be there and I'm fine with that. However, This is not the issue. The issue is last tuesday I did an interview at the US embassy applying for a business visa and ofcourse they took my passport and I totally forgot about CIC requirement to bring my passports. Now I don't know what to do, I tried contacting the US consulate and was ready to abandon my visa application as the citizenship is much important to me but as you may know they were very rude and won't help much. I have my US interview appointment confirmation number and my pay receipt showing the sates, will that be sufficient for the CIC officer or will I be denied taking the oath? Has anyone went thru a similar scenario?
 

tds69us

Hero Member
Nov 22, 2011
293
5
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m_alagha said:
Guys,
I was originaly scheduled for my citizenship ceremony on January 27, 2015. Lucky me it was a storm day and CIC called me and left a message saying they have rescheduled till Feb. 17, they said they will send a new notice but I have recieved nothing as of this moment, I called them and they said that is ok you can come without the notice and your name will be there and I'm fine with that. However, This is not the issue. The issue is last tuesday I did an interview at the US embassy applying for a business visa and ofcourse they took my passport and I totally forgot about CIC requirement to bring my passports. Now I don't know what to do, I tried contacting the US consulate and was ready to abandon my visa application as the citizenship is much important to me but as you may know they were very rude and won't help much. I have my US interview appointment confirmation number and my pay receipt showing the sates, will that be sufficient for the CIC officer or will I be denied taking the oath? Has anyone went thru a similar scenario?
you might get RQ'ed, a skeptical CO might think you're hiding something.
 

era1521

Hero Member
Oct 7, 2014
443
27
m_alagha said:
Guys,
I was originaly scheduled for my citizenship ceremony on January 27, 2015. Lucky me it was a storm day and CIC called me and left a message saying they have rescheduled till Feb. 17, they said they will send a new notice but I have recieved nothing as of this moment, I called them and they said that is ok you can come without the notice and your name will be there and I'm fine with that. However, This is not the issue. The issue is last tuesday I did an interview at the US embassy applying for a business visa and ofcourse they took my passport and I totally forgot about CIC requirement to bring my passports. Now I don't know what to do, I tried contacting the US consulate and was ready to abandon my visa application as the citizenship is much important to me but as you may know they were very rude and won't help much. I have my US interview appointment confirmation number and my pay receipt showing the sates, will that be sufficient for the CIC officer or will I be denied taking the oath? Has anyone went thru a similar scenario?
Business visa, B1/B2, right? You should have received the passport back same day of interview. I never heard having to leave the passport for visa more than a week. There's something wrong with your story.
 

Juney

Star Member
Dec 6, 2014
155
8
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As i remember, the officer did not go through our passports. Rather took our PR cards, checked our IDs (driver's license for me and Provincial ID for wife). Asked us to double check on infos on the papers and signed. And that is mostly what I've known from others experience as well on Oath day. I think they no longer care for your passport since you're actually done with the process anyway. But it's a good piece of ID if you do not have any other ID. And better to have it just in case.
 

m_alagha

Newbie
Feb 10, 2015
5
0
Well, ofcourse if I know I would be getting my citizenship ceremony, I wouldn't apply for a visa but at the time I applied, I didn't know.
And for U.S B1/B2 visa, not all countries have the same processing time, it could be up to 90 days before the visa get processed.

Anyway, I guess I'm wasting my time here
 

era1521

Hero Member
Oct 7, 2014
443
27
m_alagha said:
Well, ofcourse if I know I would be getting my citizenship ceremony, I wouldn't apply for a visa but at the time I applied, I didn't know.
And for U.S B1/B2 visa, not all countries have the same processing time, it could be up to 90 days before the visa get processed.

Anyway, I guess I'm wasting my time here
I think you are wasting our time here:

Nonimmigrant Visa Type Appointment Wait Time
Visitor Visas 3 Calendar Days*
Student/Exchange Visitor Visas 1 Calendar Day*
All Other Nonimmigrant Visas‡ 1 Calendar Day*

Processing Time1 Work Day†

Last Updated on February 10, 2015

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/general/wait-times.html

unless you maybe applying for visa in Kabul
 

raymasa

Star Member
Apr 12, 2014
178
12
m_alagha said:
Guys,
I was originaly scheduled for my citizenship ceremony on January 27, 2015. Lucky me it was a storm day and CIC called me and left a message saying they have rescheduled till Feb. 17, they said they will send a new notice but I have recieved nothing as of this moment, I called them and they said that is ok you can come without the notice and your name will be there and I'm fine with that. However, This is not the issue. The issue is last tuesday I did an interview at the US embassy applying for a business visa and ofcourse they took my passport and I totally forgot about CIC requirement to bring my passports. Now I don't know what to do, I tried contacting the US consulate and was ready to abandon my visa application as the citizenship is much important to me but as you may know they were very rude and won't help much. I have my US interview appointment confirmation number and my pay receipt showing the sates, will that be sufficient for the CIC officer or will I be denied taking the oath? Has anyone went thru a similar scenario?
I think Juney is correct. You need your passport for the test, but I don't think that's required for the oath. For oath you need your PR card and another picture ID (driver's license should be fine).

You may want to call the call centre and verify with them

Ray
 

Empirical-Scientist

Hero Member
Jun 4, 2012
738
64
What you must bring: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/cit-ceremony.asp. Scroll down & read: ALL original immigration document. That could potentially include the COPR, which is normally attached to a page in your passport.

Now, for some countries, the US embassy may keep the passport even for a week or more and mail it via DHL (usually). That;s quite normal, for the skeptical.

If the US visa is not a priority, go to the US consulate and request your passport on this reason.
 

CicStratos

Full Member
May 17, 2014
38
2
hi

you just need your landing document and PR card for the oath. They will take away your PR card and ask you to keep the landing document with you till you die basically.
 

m_alagha

Newbie
Feb 10, 2015
5
0
Ok,

So a quick update, I picked up my passport from the US consulate today with the visa affixed on it which obviously I won't need now because if I travel on that passport I'll not be allowed to board the plane to Canada without my PR card which will be taken away during the ceremony. Strangely enough, airlines won't allow you to board a plane to Canada using you citizenship card (Certificate in this case) only and a foreign passport. So, I'll need to apply for a Canadian passport anyway to comeback here

Anyway, thanks to everyone replied - including era1521 ;) -
 

Canad87

Star Member
Jul 1, 2014
74
2
m_alagha said:
Ok,

So a quick update, I picked up my passport from the US consulate today with the visa affixed on it which obviously I won't need now because if I travel on that passport I'll not be allowed to board the plane to Canada without my PR card which will be taken away during the ceremony. Strangely enough, airlines won't allow you to board a plane to Canada using you citizenship card (Certificate in this case) only and a foreign passport. So, I'll need to apply for a Canadian passport anyway to comeback here

Anyway, thanks to everyone replied - including era1521 ;) -
Good news
Best luck